After the
fall of Adam, there was a big gap between God and man. Man could no longer find
his way back to God because he was blindfolded by sin. He wallowed in darkness
looking for a meaningful existence but could not find any being outside of God’s
presence.
Filled with
pity and love, God initiated a plan to bring man back to Himself, a plan that
would involve a two-staged journey. He decided to begin the first stage of this
journey with His only Son about two thousand years ago.
The first
stage which was accomplished by Christ with his passion and death was intended
to prepare man for the final stage which he has to accomplish by himself. The first
stage of the journey was from sin to redemption and the second stage was from redemption
to salvation.
The
redemption brought by Christ destined us for salvation. Our repentance from sin
prepares us for salvation and our reconciliation with God and our neighbour
draws us closer to our salvation.
Thus, in
the first reading (Acts 3:13-15,17-19), Peter explains to the Jews how they could
use this redemption brought by Christ to work out their salvation through
repentance and reconciliation.
